Protestant
Reformation 101
World History
Reformation or Revolution?
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Revolution: Old ideas are challenged, new
ideas replace old ideas, major alterations in
religion, culture, history, technology, etc.
take place.
Reformation: The act of changing doctrines
and practices to improve an institution in
this case the Catholic Church
Early Christianity
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Borrowed many beliefs from Judaism
Belief in one god
Belief that Jesus was son of God and sent
to deliver mankind from sin
Belief in salvation
First Organized Christian Church
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Roman Catholic=Universal
First recognized by Emperor Constantine in
313AD
Martin Luther- 1517 Posts 95 Thesis
Abuses in the Church
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Popes maintained lavish lifestyles
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Sales of Indulgences
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Original giving for good deeds to the church, I.E.
going on a crusade
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Increased fees for marriages and baptisms
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Monk, and Priests having affairs and placing
their nephews (sons) in high positions of the
church
Luther’s Message
• Following publication of theses, Luther continued to study, debate
• Contradicted basic Catholic beliefs, insisted God’s grace cannot be won by
good works; faith alone needed
• 1519, declared only head of Christian Church was Jesus, not pope
Empowered the People
• Insisted that individual Christians should be own interpreters of scripture,
Christian practices should come only from Bible
• To aid this process, Luther translated Bible into German
• Translation allowed more people to read Bible without aid of clergy
Martin Luther’s Concerns
(some of them)
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Pope’s lavish lifestyle (Vatican-too costly)
Pope’s competed for political power with kings.
(Kingdom of Christians)
Indulgences
Selling of Church offices to highest bidder
(Simony)
Church services too fancy (golden chalices)
Church refused to support use of vernacular in
services and Bible
Why was Martin Luther so successful?
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Invention of the printing press in 1440 by
Gutenberg spread Luther’s ideas. Between
1516-1546, 1 million copies of Luther’s
ideas were circulated.
Why so Successful Continued…
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He was bright/academic- top of his class at
university- masters degree/professor of
theology/Augustinian monk
Hardworking/intense – Wrote enough to fill 102
volumes of books- translated Bible from Greek to
German in 11 weeks!
Extremely Pious (religious)- said the mass 7 times
a day/fasted many times until near death!
Why Successful continued…
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Germany not united – part of Holy Roman
Empire. The Germans resented the
Catholic Church because of abusive
leadership in Rome and tithe money going
to Rome. Martin Luther was popular with
the people. After he was excommunicated
he was protected by Frederick the Wise for
another 20 yrs.
Martin Luther’s Beliefs
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“Salvation by faith alone”- Paul’s letters to
Romans 1:17
The Bible not the pope is the final authority
“Priesthood of all believers”- the faithful are
all equal in God’s eyes.
Indulgences wrong!
Priests can marry-he was!
Reactions to Luther
Church’s Response
• 1520, Pope Leo X expelled Luther
from the Church
• 1521, Luther summoned to appear
before Holy Roman emperor
Charles V
Edict of Worms
German Diet
• Luther appeared before emperor,
German Diet, or assembly, at city of
Worms
• Refused to change opinions
Protestant
• Emperor handed down Edict of
Worms
• 1529, Charles V tried to suppress
Lutherans in Germany
• Declared Luther to be outlaw,
condemned his writings
• German princes issued protestatio,
protest, against this
• Luther’s ideas spread
• Term Protestant came from this
Results of Luther’s Ideas/Actions
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Wars of religion split Europe- Thirty Years War
devastated Germany
Other Protestant (root word protest) Churches
Develop- See diagram in your packet
- Lutheran Church
- Anglican (Church of England) in England- Henry VIII
- Calvinism in Switzerland-predestination and theocracy
(Government run by religious leaders)
- Calvinism in Scotland under J. Knox- later became Presbyterians
Continued…
Finally, in 1546- Same year Luther died- The
Catholic Church reformed abuses at
Council of Trent= Catholic Reformation
Eventually, Catholic Church recognized
Protestants (Baptists, Presbyterians,
Methodists, etc.) as fellow Christians.
Essay Question: Revolution or
Reformation? Defend with facts.
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Revolution: Old ideas are challenged, new
ideas replace old ideas, major alterations in
religion, culture, history, technology, etc.
take place.
Reformation: The act of changing doctrines
and practices to improve an institution in
this case the Catholic Church.
Sources:
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National Geographic Magazine
Encarta Dictionary